The Asian Star July 2 2022

www.theasianstar.com Vol 22 - Issue 22

Saturday, July 2, 2022

After Moosewala’s murder, spotlight back on (Punjabi) gangs of Canada The Ruffians. That’s the name of a gang in Abbotsford area of British Columbia, Canada, cobbled together by Punjabi-origin people. Kal Dosanjh, a veteran police officer with the Vancouver police, says the three-yearold gang is the first of its kind — all its members are international students.

With Goldy Brar, a gangster who travelled to Canada on a student visa in 2017, claiming responsibility for the killing of Punjabi rapper Sidhu Moosewala last month, Indo-Canadian gangs are once again under the scanner.

The connection between crime lords in Canada and Punjab first came under global scrutiny in June 2021 when Toronto police busted an international drug racket in Brampton. Most of the 28 men arrested in the case were of Indian origin. The Toronto Sun newspaper called it the biggest drug seizure in the history of the local police — 1,000 kg of drugs worth $61 million, 48 firearms, $1 million in cash. “It’s the first time we have seen something at this level of sophistication,” Toronto Police chief James Ramer had said in a

press conference.

A former Punjab DGP says drug smuggling from India to Canada has been going on for the last 10-15 years. “It’s a deadly cocktail. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India are part of the international drug route.

Initially, smugglers here would use well-known courier companies to smuggle drugs.

Then they started liquefying these for smuggling. Since pharmaceutical controls in the region are relatively lax, they have also been sending precursor drugs to Canada.”

Kabaddi tournaments, a hit among the Punjabi diaspora, were also used as a drug conduit. Canada-based Ranjit Singh Aujla, alias Dara Muthada, who was wanted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the multi-crore Jagdish Bhola drug case, died of cardiac arrest at British Columbia on June 9.

Ranjit was a former president of the British Columbia Kabaddi Federation.

On February 10 this year, Sarbjit Singh Sander, another co-accused in the case, was found murdered in Langley, Canada.

Sander would allegedly arrange couriers for transporting drugs.

Tel:604-591-5423

Freeland says gas price tax break is on the table but green transition is “urgent” The federal government says it isn’t removing the possibility that it could reduce gas taxes; however, high gas prices have shown the green transition is “more urgent than ever.”

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland made the comments this week while visiting an automotive parts manufacturer in Newmarket, Ontario.

Freeland was asked about Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s call for the federal government to lower the carbon tax amid soaring prices at the gas pump.

“When it comes to the price on pollution, I think that Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine has actually made the green transition more

urgent than ever. I really think that this war needs to make us understand as a world and

as Canadians how important it is to shift to a green economy,” Freeland said.

Continued on Page 10...

Cyclist killed in collision with dump truck in downtown Vancouver Police are investigating after a cyclist was killed in a collision with a dump truck in downtown Vancouver Wednesday morning. The accident happened at the intersection of Pacific and Hornby streets around 7:30 a.m.

The 28-year-old male cyclist died at the scene after efforts to save his life were unsuccessful. Police say the truck driver is co-operating with the investigation, and investigators do not believe speed or impairment were factors.

Continued on Page 10...

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

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Massive waits as BC Ferries cancels sailings between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay Thursday Folks hoping to hop on a ferry from Horseshoe Bay to get to Vancouver Island for the long weekend might have to rethink their plans, as BC Ferries has cancelled eight sailings Thursday (June 30) between Horseshoe Bay and Departure Bay due to critical repairs on one of its ferries.

In a statement, the ferry service said an issue with the Queen of Alberni’s piston assembly was discovered, and immediate repairs need to be made.

“In order to complete these and the earlier repairs to its main engine cylinder head and liner, the Queen of Alberni will remain out of service for Thursday, June 30. Our engineering team continues to work diligently to resolve the issue,” BC Ferries said.

The following Queen of Alberni sailings on June 30, 2022 have been cancelled: 7:40 a.m. out of Departure Bay 10:00 a.m. out of Horseshoe Bay 12:25 p.m. out of Departure Bay 2:45 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay 5:00 p.m. out of Departure Bay 7:20 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay 9:30 p.m. out of Departure Bay 11:40 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay Those looking to get to and from the island are being advised to travel between Duke Point and Tsawwassen or Swartz Bay and Tsawwassen, however, severe delays are expected.

“If you do not have a booking on this route for June 30, we recommend making alternative travel plans either on a different route or as a foot passenger,” the ferry service said.

“We appreciate your patience and apologize for any inconvenience you may experience as a result of these cancellations.”

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Canadians urged to get COVID-19 booster shots ahead of potential fall wave Federal health officials are urging Canadians to get booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in advance of a possible resurgence of the virus in the fall.

While case counts and other indicators are stable or declining in most parts of Canada, the virus remains in circulation and could begin spreading further during the fall respiratory virus season, Canada’s chief health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said Thursday.

In addition, cases of two highly contagious COVID-19 variants of the Omicron strain called BA.4 and BA.5, which have been fuelling new outbreaks in the United States and Europe, have been increasing in Canada, causing additional concern.“As the SARSCoV-2 virus continues to circulate worldwide and new variants emerge and spread, we must remain vigilant and prepare for resurgence in the weeks and months ahead,” Tam said

during a briefing Thursday. That’s why health officials are strongly encouraging all Canadians to get up-to-date with their vaccines as soon as possible, which no longer means just two doses.

Canadians are now only considered up-todate with their COVID-19 vaccines if they received their last dose within the last nine months, federal Health Minister Jean YvesDuclos said.

“The immunity conferred by your primary series of two doses of vaccines administered in 2021 has now waned,” Duclos said.

“While you might have gotten infected, (the) risk is high you could get reinfected with all the downfalls, including the risk of developing symptoms of long COVID. As health experts and physicians will tell you, it’s critical that you go and get the shot that’s waiting for you.”

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

OPINION India: Bharat readies to welcome a tribal president

If one believes in the simple mathematical calculation and minimum political honesty by public representatives in the Indian Parliament and State legislative assemblies, the largest democracy on Earth is expecting a lady tribal President in New Delhi. As Draupadi Murmu, a simple Janjati family

woman turned a teacher turned a politician, gets the recommendation from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government for the 15th Presidential elections scheduled for 18 July next, her victory becomes almost imminent.

Hailing from Mayurbhanj locality of

Odisha, who taught in Shri Aurobindo Integral Education Centre, the NDA’s Presidential candidate earlier served Jharkhand as its Governor and her own State as a minister. After arriving in New Delhi, Murmu has filed her nomination papers in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president JP Nadda, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, etc. Her main opponent will be a seasoned politician, who had lately shifted his loyalty from the saffron party.

Yashwant Sinha, a former Union minister, has been declared as the joint opposition candidate for the Presidential polls.

Election Commission of India had recently announced the schedule of Presidential elections as the five-year tenure of President Ram Nath Kovind comes to end on 24 July 2022. The nominations (for 18 July polling) are accepted till 29 June and the poll-result will be available on 21 July. For records, any citizen of Bharat can become the country’s President after fulfilling a few conditions.

The aspirant must be at least 35 years old and he/she has the qualification to be elected as a member of Lok Sabha. On submitting the nomination, the aspirant needs 50 recognised proposers and 50 seconders.

Unlike other democratic nations, the common Indias do not elect their President directly, but the Head of the Republic is voted by the people’s representatives (meaning the Parliamentarians and Legislators) with the basis of Electoral College. It includes 543 members of Lok Sabha (the lower house of Parliament), 233 members in Rajya Sabha (the upper house) and 4,033 members of legislative assemblies across the vast country.

By Nava Thakuria, eurasianreview

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Saturday, July 2, 2022 Airbnb host released on bail after alleged knife attack on Alberta sisters at Vancouver rental A Vancouver Airbnb host arrested and charged after an alleged knife attack on two young women in a Kitsilano apartment building has been freed on bail.

Arvin Pasha was released from custody on June 24 after a provincial court judge granted a release order with no financial obligation.

Pasha must reside with his mother in New Westminster and abide by a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew every day. A publication ban prevents Global News from reporting any evidence heard at the bail hearing.

Pasha,32,ischargedwithaggravatedassault, accused of attacking two sisters from Alberta

who had rented his Airbnb suite last month.

The pair was staying in a listing at 2130 West 3rd Avenue near Arbutus Street, where Pasha had a valid city of Vancouver shortterm rental business licence for the apartment linked to the alleged Airbnb stabbing.

“It (was) horrifying. There was blood everywhere,” neighbour and witness Saad Mustafa told Global News on June 13.

Mustafa said he heard female screams and a man yelling early on May 27, and opened his apartment door to a horrific scene in the hallway. “One young lady, she appeared to have a stab wound in the neck or neck area.

Metro Vancouver lottery winner bound for Hawaii after huge Lotto Max win One BC lottery winner is ready to pack their bags for a trip to Hawaii after cashing in a winning ticket for $500,000.

Ahmet Aktas from New Westminster almost blacked out when he realized that he won half a million dollars in the June 21 Lotto Max draw.

“I was home and checked my ticket on my BCLC Lotto! app and almost blacked out. I told my wife and she thought I was joking until she saw the scanner on my phone,” he said in a release.

Now, Aktas will use the money towards a family trip to Hawaii and upgrade to a more comfortable home.

Their winning ticket was bought at the Circle K on Scott Road in Surrey.

“Winning is just really exciting. We hope to travel more with the kids, we’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii as we’ve never been.”

“I didn’t know what ecstatic felt like but now I do!”

While $500,000 is a life-changing amount of money, the big prize is still waiting to be won. Now, the Lotto Max jackpot has reached $70 million.

Where would be on your mustsee travel list if you won the lottery?

Justin Trudeau says unvaccinated people have to accept the ‘consequences’ of their decision Justin Trudeau has said that unvaccinated people have to deal with the “consequences” of their choice which include being subjected to Canada’s travel restrictions.

During an interview with CBC Radio’s The House that’s airing on June 25, the prime minister opened up about his thoughts on people who are unvaccinated and Canada’s vaccine mandates.

“It was their choice and nobody ever was going to force anyone into doing something they don’t want to do,” Trudeau said about people who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19.

“But there are consequences when you don’t,” he continued. “You cannot choose to put at risk your co-workers.

You cannot choose to put at risk the people sitting beside you on an airplane.”

While there are still restrictions in place for travel, recent changes were made to Canada’s travel rules which scrapped vaccine mandates for some trips and temporarily suspended on-arrival random testing for vaccinated travellers.

As of June 20, 2022, the vaccine requirement for federally operated planes and trains that travel in Canada and out of the country is suspended.

That means travellers don’t have to prove their vaccination status for domestic and international trips.

However, the U.S. extended its vaccine requirements for non-American travellers entering through land and ferry ports of entry. So, Canadians have to provide proof of vaccination regardless of if they’re travelling

5

Canada’s spy agency is briefing local Vancouver-area politicians on foreign interference Canada’s spy agency has warned some municipalities in British Columbia to be wary of foreign interference in local elections this fall.

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says the Canadian Security Intelligence Service met with him recently, in what he was told was an unprecedented step, to go over concerns the agency has about the possibility foreign governments could try to affect the outcome of local elections.

“CSIS brought in a fairly high-ranking official as well as their China expert to give me a two-hour briefing on foreign interference in domestic politics,” Stewart told the Star.

“They said they didn’t normally

reach out to locally elected officials but felt it was necessary in this case.”

A source with the Vancouver suburb of Port Coquitlam said officials there had a similar briefing. Another suburb, Richmond, confirmed a meeting with CSIS members but would not disclose the subject.

Other municipalities said they did not have a briefing or did not respond to the Star’s query.

CSIS refused to comment on the meetings.

Stewart said his briefing included ways foreign interference might take place in local elections but didn’t go into specific details. CSIS left him with a handbook and sheet on what he should be aware of.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

6 officers injured in shooting at Saanich, B.C. bank, 2 suspects killed Officials in Saanich, B.C., have lifted a shelter-in-place advisory after six police officers were injured when gunfire erupted during a botched bank robbery Tuesday.

Three officers were from the Saanich Police Department while the other three officers are members of the Victoria Police Department. Two of the officers were taken for surgery due to the extent of their injuries, according to police.Saanich police said they anticipate that some officers will be released “soon,” whereas other officers sustained serious injuries and may need further treatment.

Police said two suspects were shot and killed at the scene.

Police had initially believed that another suspect may still be at large, however, after an extensive search of the area said they had not found any indication of a third suspect.

Saanich police confirmed that at 11 a.m.

Tuesday officers responded to a report of armed suspects at the Bank of Montreal in the 3600-block of Shelbourne Street in the community north of Victoria.

Multiple officers responded to the scene and encountered the armed suspects who fired at police.

B.C. Emergency Health Services said they were called at 11:21 a.m. and deployed seven ground ambulances and a street supervisor.

Police also moved to evacuate homes and businesses within close proximity to the scene of the incident due to the presence of a potential explosive device in a vehicle related to the suspects, the department confirmed on Twitter.

Shelbourne Street remained closed Tuesday evening as police continued to respond to the possible explosive.

Beau Schultz, who lives nearby, said they were just getting out of the shower when they saw police officers outside their house.

“It started out very simply with just the two cops that I saw,” Schultz told Global News.

“What I saw next was two people leaving the bank and they were armed and they also, I don’t really know how to describe how they were dressed, but you could tell they were trying to conceal who they were.”

That’s when gunfire rang out, Schultz said, adding they saw one of the two people who exited the bank get shot.

“Time is honestly a blur,” Schultz said, describing smoke, seeing people getting hit and hearing dozens and dozens of gunshots.

“It’s all quite overwhelming, honestly.”

In a statement to Global News, Bank of Montreal spokesperson Jeff Roman said “we are deeply shocked and saddened by the incident that is occurring in Victoria this afternoon. We thank emergency responders for their dedication and for helping to keep the public safe.

“The safety and security of our customers and employees is our priority and our thoughts are with all those impacted by today’s events.”

At this time, Saanich police said it does not believe that any bank employees, bank customers, or members of the public were physically injured in this incident.

hree Punjabi MPPs Appointed As Parliamentary Assistants Premier Doug Ford has announced the team of parliamentary assistants that will support their respective cabinet ministers.

Three Punjabi MPPs have included in this list. But surprisingly Nina Tangri, who was minister in the previous cabinet, has not been included even as Parliamentary secretary.

Followings are those parliamentary secretaries and their portfolios: Deepak Anand who was sitting MPP from M i s s i s s au g a - M a l t o n , Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, with responsibility for immigration Hardeep Singh Grewal MPP newly elected from Brampton East , Parliamentary Assistant to

the Minister of Transportation Amarjot Sandhu sitting MPP from Brampton West , Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Infrastructure Graham Mcgregor who won the Brampton North riding has also been appointed as parliamentary Assistant to the Minister

of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.

Parliamentary assistants support ministers with legislative and committee matters, including special projects and assignments that require dedicated leadership. They also play a key role in building relationships and communicating government initiatives across the province.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Canada’s stellar unemployment rate is a blessing for banks and the housing market – but no one seems to notice A deluge of gloomy economic news is dominating headlines, and the prospect of a recession is on every central banker’s radar, but beneath it all an undeniably positive development is hiding in plain sight – one that has an enormous impact on the country’s financial system and housing market.

For all the economic chaos, Canada’s unemployment rate has fallen to a record low.

That this metric is so often overlooked isn’t all that surprising. Humans have a habit of gravitating to bad news and there’s loads of it lately. Inflation is at its highest level in four decades, and central banks in Canada and the United States are hiking interest rates at their fastest clip since 1994. It doesn’t take much to buy the narrative that financial ruin is just around the corner.

But the unemployment rate matters just as much for general economic health, and employment status is a crucial factor when banks determine if a client should get a loan. “Whether someone has a job or not is probably the most critical variable in most credit models,” said Brett House, an economist who has worked at financial institutions and agencies such as the International Monetary Fund.

With unemployment sitting at 5.1 per cent, its lowest since Statistics Canada has been tracking the metric using its current methodology, credit is still flowing with ease and that keeps the economy humming.

As for the housing market, the unemployment rate helps to assess the outlook for all types of accommodations – not just homeownership. Rising mortgage rates tend to dominate discussions about the near future, but only 35 per cent of Canadians have a mortgage, according to the Bank of Canada. And of these, many have already paid down a large chunk of their principal, so their risk to the broader financial system is negligible.

Renters, meanwhile, account for 37 per cent of all accommodations, the largest of any group. Because they don’t have mortgages, they are less affected by rising interest rates, but getting or losing a job will determine if they can make rent. Right now it is fairly easy for Canadians to find work, with the number of job vacancies crossing the one million mark in March, the most on record, according to Statistics Canada.

Of course, the mortgage market can’t be completely discounted as a risk to the financial system. Mortgages comprise the largest block of assets on a bank’s balance sheet and housing crashes can easily seep into the broader economy, causing a recession. Loan losses typically begin accumulating when an asset bubble bursts.

Yet, ven here, unemployment is a crucial consideration, according to Bob Dugan, the chief economist at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Banks monitor the number of mortgages that are in arrears – another way of saying they aren’t being repaid – and historical data show that rising rates aren’t closely correlated with spikes in missed mortgage payments.

“What does drive arrears is when people lose their jobs,” he said.

Mr. Dugan also noted that Canadian mortgages are often full recourse, which means lenders can seize assets if the money isn’t repaid. For this reason, “people tend to default on their mortgages only as last

recourse,” Mr. Dugan said, and losing a job is a main driver for getting to this point.

Despite record-low unemployment, investors have been spooked of late and recession fears are weighing on stock prices.

Banks are particularly vulnerable in this correction because of fears they will be hit with loan losses.

Until very recently, bank executives weren’t saying much to counter these assumptions. But at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce investor day this month, chief risk officer Shawn Beber stressed that loan delinquency rates continue to fall.

“We’re very comfortable with the [loan] growth that we’ve achieved,” he said.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Quebeckers file lawsuit over GovernorGeneral Mary Simon’s inability to speak French

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A group of Quebeckers has filed a legal challenge of the appointment of Mary Simon as Governor-General on the grounds that her inability to speak French violates constitutional requirements for official bilingualism.

The move follows months of controversy in the province about the fact that the Queen’s representative in Canada only speaks one of the country’s official languages. Ms. Simon is the first Indigenous person to serve as GovernorGeneral and speaks Inuktitut, as well as English.

The Quebeckers who filed the court challenge in Quebec Superior Court on Wednesday are following in the wake of a successful attempt by Acadians in New Brunswick to have the appointment of that province’s unilingual anglophone Lieutenant-Governor declared a violation of the Constitution.

The lawsuit argues that the nomination of Ms. Simon violates the sections of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms that give Canadians the right to interact with institutions of the federal government in either French or English, and give both languages equal status within the Government of Canada.

The person serving as governor-general is uniquely synonymous with the office she occupies, because of the highly personal nature of the position, the suit argues, meaning that the bilingualism required of federal institutions should also be required of Ms. Simon herself.

Her inability to express herself in French is not only unconstitutional but offensive to francophone Canadians who feel disrespected in a majority-English country, said Frédéric Bastien, a former Parti Québécois leadership candidate who is leading the court challenge.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Explosive devices found in vehicle of B.C. bank robbers killed by police The chief of the Saanich, B.C., police department says explosive devices were found in a vehicle associated with the suspects who were gunned down outside a bank.

Chief Const. Dean Duthie said an RCMP explosive disposal unit was able to transfer the devices from a vehicle to a local landfill, the Hartland Landfill Facility, and destroy them on Wednesday.

Two suspects were killed, and six members of the Greater Victoria Emergency

Response Team (GVERT) were injured when shots were fired outside the bank late Tuesday morning. Witnesses described hearing dozens of shots back to back just after 11 a.m. PT. Duthie said three of six officers wounded by gunfire remain in hospital, including one who is in intensive care and one who will need more surgeries over the next few months. The other three officers were treated and released to recover at home.

“Some residents and businesses remain unable to return to their homes and places of work as officers continue to process

the crime scene,” Duthie said at a news conference on Wednesday.

He said police are still investigating the possibility of a third suspect, although they don’t believe there’s a risk to the public.

He said police were acting on “vague information” with regards to a possible third person.

Investigators are currently working to identify the suspects.

No further details were provided on the nature of the explosive devices, what firearms were used in the shooting or how many people were in the bank at the time.

Duthie said the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) has now taken charge of the investigation. A concurrent investigation has also been launched by the Independent Investigations Office, the oversight body which reviews all police actions that result in death or serious harm.

In a statement, VIIMCU said it is “actively involved” in what it is treating as an attempted murder investigation.

“We respect that there is significant public interest in yesterday’s events, but at this time we are not able to confirm identities, background or motive,” wrote Supt. Sanjaya Wijayakoon.

Suspects believed to have worn body armour Police said the shooting started outside the bank, though it wasn’t immediately clear who shot first. The suspects were armed and believed to have been wearing body armour.

B.C. Ferries cancels key Canada Day sailings over mechanical issue as long weekend traffic begins B.C. Ferries has cancelled key Canada Day sailings between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island due to an ongoing mechanical issue with one of its ships, straining traffic during what was already expected to be a busy long weekend.

Sailings between Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver and Departure Bay in Nanaimo were first called off from morning to midnight on Thursday because the Queen of Alberni is out of service, according to a statement online.

Those cancellations will now continue through the day for Canada Day on Friday.

“Following an earlier engineering update, an additional issue was discovered with the Queen of Alberni’s piston assembly, which will require critical machining to repair,” the statement said.

“Our engineering team continues to work diligently to resolve the issue.”

Even before the cancellations, the corporation had warned travellers to expect a busy weekend at its terminals because Canada Day and Independence Day are falling on the same weekend for the first time in six years.

The cancelled Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay sailings on Thursday are: 2:45 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay. 5:00 p.m. out of Departure Bay. 7:20 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay. 9:30 p.m. out of Departure Bay. 11:40 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay. The following sailings are cancelled Friday:

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7:40 a.m. out of Departure Bay. 10:00 a.m. out of Horseshoe Bay. 12:25 p.m. out of Departure Bay. 2:45 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay. 5:00 p.m. out of Departure Bay. 7:20 p.m. out of Horseshoe Bay. Travellers trying to take the alternative route between Tsawwassen and Nanaimo’s Duke Point will face multiple sailing waits without a reservation.

Andrew and Beatrice Kouri left their home in Vancouver at 4:30 a.m., hoping to catch the 8 a.m. ferry from Tsawwassen, but anticipated a wait.

“We’re doing great. We packed lunch.

We’re prepared,” said Kouri.

B.C. Ferries said repairs to the Queen of Alberni’s main engine are “significant ... with a number of tests and trials remaining to ensure it is ready to sail.”

The corporation said customers with bookings on cancelled sailings would be contacted to let them know if they can be placed on a sailing later in the day.

In the case of cancelled bookings, fees and fares will be refunded.

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LOCAL / NATIONAL

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Supreme Court of Canada will not hear appeal by convicted B.C. sex trafficker Canada’s highest court will not hear an appeal from a B.C. man who was convicted of trafficking 11 female victims, including underage girls, for sex.

Reza Moazami, who was sentenced to 23 years in prison, had sought leave with the Supreme Court of Canada to appeal a September decision by the B.C. Court of Appeal.

That court dismissed his appeals of his 2014 conviction on 30 prostitutionrelated offences, as well as a later conviction on an attempt to obstruct justice by attempting to influence the testimony of a witness.

Moazami had sought those appeals on the grounds that the behaviour of a former Vancouver detective, Jim Fisher, who investigated his case, may have interfered with his right to a fair trial.

Fisher pleaded guilty in 2018 to

breach of trust for kissing a 21-year-old victim in Moazami’s case as well as sexual exploitation and breach of trust involving a 17-year-old girl who was a victim in a separate prostitutionrelated case.

As is customary, the Supreme Court of Canada did not give reasons for its decision Thursday to dismiss Moazami’s application for leave to appeal.

Continued from Page 1...

“Now is the time to be glad we have a serious predictable set of measures to make that transition that we need for our children, grandchildren, the planet.”

Freeland said she understands that affordability, including the price of gas, is a real challenge.

“We’re open to additional measures going forward should that be necessary,” she said, but she did not state what those additional measures would be.

Freeland pointed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and it’s impact on oil as a key cause to

the ballooning of gas prices across the country.

“When it comes to the price of gas, it’s important to emphasize that this is a global commodity, and it’s being driven by one very terrible man, Vladimir Putin. When we go to fill up our cars and truck with gas and you want to get mad at someone, get mad at Vladimir Putin.” Freeland also pointed to affordability measures currently in place to help Canadians as a form of relief at this time.

Earlier this month Freeland alluded to the potential of a gas tax break during a news conference with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Cyclist killed in collision with dump truck in downtown Vancouver

Fire destroys Value Village in East Vancouver A fire has gutted the large Value Village thrift store in East Vancouver.

Firefighters were called to the second-hand store on East Hastings Street near Victoria Drive around 10 p.m. on Wednesday and found it fully engulfed.

Dozens of people living in the surrounding area stood across the street and watched the building burn up and collapse as crews aimed several hoses into the site.

It turned into a three-alarm blaze with 47 firefighters deployed, officials said.

Half an hour after it started, authorities said the flames were 85 per cent contained.

Freeland says gas price tax break is on the table but green transition is “urgent”

However, pictures and video from the scene show that the structure was largely rubble by then.

At its peak, Global News viewers reported seeing smoke and hints of flame from as far away as North Vancouver.

The fire did not spread to any neighbouring buildings, according to Vancouver Fire Rescue, though some did suffer smoke and heat damage.

There is no indication that anyone was injured in the fire, officials said, and no word yet on the cause.

Continued from Page 1...

Police are asking anyone with information or dashcam video footage to assist the investigation by contacting the VPD’s collision investigation unit at 604-7173012.

Jeff Leigh, the vice president of the cycling advocacy nonprofit HUB Cycling, said it’s uncommon for cyclists to be killed on the road in Vancouver, but when it happens, a large truck is generally involved.

“This is terrible news,” he told All Points West guest host Rohit Joseph.

“This is something we just don’t ever want to see happen, and unfortunately, it still happens.”

Leigh said it’s up to cyclists and drivers to be aware of their surroundings, particularly at busy intersections in the urban core.

However, drivers, especially those in large

trucks, need to be especially sharp because the consequences of their actions can be more severe, as demonstrated in this situation, Leigh said.

‘Take cycling safety seriously’: Widow of North Vancouver cyclist calls for better bike lanes “If someone isn’t paying as much attention on a bike, they may fall down and hurt themselves,” he said.

“It’s a huge responsibility to be driving a vehicle in a place where there are vulnerable road users and not be aware of those vulnerable road users and looking out for them.” He suggests anyone driving large vehicles on roads that cyclists frequent should look at getting additional mirrors and cameras to increase visibility, and if possible, they should be avoiding those high traffic areas during peak travel times.

Saturday, July 2, 2022

New poll finds housing, homelessness top issues ahead of B.C. municipal elections ‘When’s it going to change — when we’re all homeless?’ asks Vancouver renter.

Vancouver Construction worker Ivon Escobar says she doesn’t know what she’ll do if her rent rises again.

The 27-year-old’s “tiny” Vancouver studio costs $1,600 a month.

“Which is basically one of my paycheques,” she said. “I just can’t afford it much longer.

“If they raise my rent like last year — if it gets more expensive than I pay right now, honestly I don’t know what I can do.

My friends have the same feeling.” Escobar is not alone. A new poll of 2,000 adults found the top issue across B.C. ahead of municipal elections on Oct. 15 is housing and homelessness. Thirty-nine per cent of those surveyed said it’s top of mind — more than double those who said health is the biggest concern. The poll was conducted

by Research Co. and commissioned by the Cooperative Housing Federation and other housing organizations.

Thom Armstrong, CEO of the Cooperative Housing Federation, says it’s not surprising housing affordability is the top issue, but the magnitude of concern is a bit unexpected, especially after the pandemic health emergency.

“People who had been concerned about the housing crisis over the last decade have seen those concerns sharpen,” he said. “In the upcoming municipal election, we know the issues will resonate.”

‘People overwhelmingly support taking action’. Armstrong said it’s not news that British Columbians are upset about climbing housing prices — which are on the rise again after a few years of slow-down. But the poll found that many voters support specific, concrete solutions — many of which could involve municipal governments. Among the results, eight in 10 people support giving city-owned land to non-profit and co-op housing developments for new affordable units.

Illegal dumping up 15% in Surrey since pandemic began Surrey city council approves ‘enhancement’ of fines and enforcement.

Surrey city council is looking at new ways to tackle illegal dumping, which has increased by 15 per cent since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“This is one of the most frequent complaints I’m sure a lot of us get up here during the course of our duties,” Coun. Doug Elford said. “Illegal dumping is quite common.”

“Certainly we need to get on top of this,” he said, adding, “We need better tools in our tool box to be able to manage this.”

Coun. Linda Annis echoed that.

“I think we all share huge concerns about the amount of illegal dumping in around our neighbourhoods.”

A corporate report that council approved Monday, June 27 calls for the “enhancement” of enforcement and fines.

“Based on a recent assessment of illegally dumped waste, it has been determined that the types of materials that have increased during the pandemic include drywall, home renovation materials, appliances, and furniture,” the report reveals.

Written by Scott Neuman, Surrey’s general manager of engineering, and Rob Costanzo, Surrey’s general manager of corporate services, the report also notes that the City of Surrey prior to 2015 responded to roughly 10,000 illegal dumping incidents each year, costing $1 million annually in cleanup with mattresses, furniture, household garbage, yard trimmings, scrap metal, hazardous household items, electronics, and construction materials, being the most frequently dumped items.

The city has reduced illegal dumping and its associated costs by an 30 per cent annually, on average, by streamlining operations, hosting drop-off events offering Surrey residents free disposal of large items and renovation materials, updating the Large Item Pickup Program (“LIPU”) and implementing it at apartment buildings, and launching the Love Where You Live Campaign to encourage community cleanups. “However, since the COVID-19 pandemic,

illegal dumping has increased by approximately 15 per cent,” the report states.

The City of Surrey has been limited to issuing fines under the Waste Management Regulations and Charges to people “directly involved” in illegal dumping, such as a driver. City staff recommended that the bylaw be expanded to prohibit “an owner, registered owner, lessee or operator of a vehicle from causing, permitting, or otherwise allowing their vehicle to be used for illegal dumping.” Also, city staff recommend to council that that commercial waste dumpsters at businesses be locked at all times “when not used by the owner.”

These provisions, Neuman and Costanzo note, will “help prevent scattered garbage from falling onto city property while also preventing access to the contents of the dumpster. These measures will also help with reducing illegal dumping and unwanted activity on the property. Enforcement of the provisions would occur at businesses that are consistently non-compliant.”

Meantime, a new Central Surrey Recycling and Waste Centre at 6711 – 154 Street is expected to open this summer to provide residents and businesses with a year-round place to drop off recycling and garbage.

“The facility will have a pivotal role in reducing illegal dumping and diverting waste from the landfill,” Neuman and Costanzo advised council. Mattresses, electronic equipment, drywall, furniture, appliances, paint, textiles, books, and “green waste” will be accepted there.

Coun. Mandeep Nagra asked staff to add video surveillance cameras to “some of our frequent sites, so that will make it easier for the bylaw department to catch those guys.”

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Toddler dies after being left in car in Ontario town, mayor says A small central Ontario town is rallying around the family of a young child who died after he was mistakenly left in a hot car, the mayor said Monday. Bancroft, Ont., Mayor Paul Jenkins said 23-month-old Everett Smith died Thursday after he was found in the parking lot of North Hastings High School, where his mother is a teacher.

Jenkins said the mother intended to drop off her child at daycare in the morning but accidentally left him in the car, where he was found later that day.

“She obviously thought she had done that and the child was accidentally left in the car for the day,” said Jenkins, a longtime friend of the family.

“It’s such an unfathomable situation.

It’s going to be a long road to recovery

(for the family), there’s no question.”

Jenkins said a small memorial had been arranged outside the high school.

He called on the community to continue to support the parents, who also have a five-year-old son. “They were an excellent family and devoted to their kids, life centered around the kids,” Jenkins said.

Ontario Provincial Police said officers were called around 3:45 p.m.

Thursday to a parking lot in the area of the school, where police found a 23-month-old child with no vital signs.

“The staff over there sort of jumped into action, so I’m sure it’s very traumatic for them as well,” Jenkins said of the response from other teachers at the high school. “They’re all reeling and in shock.”

New B.C. sales tax rules go into effect July 1 for online marketplaces like Amazon, eBay Starting July 1, British Columbians could be paying more for goods they buy through online marketplaces such as Amazon. That’s because the B.C. government has made changes that require these online marketplaces that have annual gross revenues of more than $10,000 to collect the provincial sales tax on goods and services sold on their sites.

It shifts the responsibility to companies like eBay and Amazon to collect the PST, rather than the small businesses that may use a marketplace facilitator site to sell their products,

according to the B.C. finance ministry.

In addition, these marketplaces are also being required by the province to charge PST to individual sellers for use of their services, such as help with listing the sales of goods, advertising, warehousing and payment collection.

It’s the latest move by the province to create a more even playing field for online operations that continue to increase their share of the economy.

The B.C. government expects the PST rule changes will generate an additional $100 million in revenues this fiscal year and $120 million the following year.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Fatal crash claims 2 lives near Blue River, B.C. Two people have died and one is in serious condition after a head-on crash between three vehicles near Blue River, B.C. Around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Clearwater RCMP, BC Highway Patrol and BC Emergency Services responded to a crash on Highway 5 near the Six Mile Bridge.

“Upon arrival, it was determined that a northbound sedan with two occupants entered the oncoming lane and collided with the trailer of a wide-load and then head-on with the pilot truck following the wide-load,” said Sgt. Grant Simpson, a Clearwater RCMP

officer.

“The driver of the sedan, a man in his 70s, and the passenger, a man in his 20s, died as a result of the collision.” The driver of one of the other vehicles, a woman in her 40s, was airlifted to hospital with “significant injuries.”

Officials said the cause of the crash is not criminal in nature, but that the investigation is still early. “Although early in the investigation and subject to change, evidence suggests that the driver of the sedan may have suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash,” Simpson said.

Kim Sharma celebrates her mom’s birthday Kim Sharma and Leander Paes have been painting Instagram red with their mushy pictures and workout videos. Recently, the Mohabbatein actress, who celebrated her mother’s 80th birthday in Goa, has shared several photos from the party on her Instagram handle in which the couple can be seen twinning in black outfits. In one of the pictures, Leander Paes can be seen posing with Kim Sharma’s mother, while in the last, the actress has wrapped her arms around him. Sharing a series of pictures from the celebration, she captioned the post as, “My Mama turned #80 what a celebration of a life

loved so gracefully thank you to my friends and mums friends that came to be with us and made every moment warm and fun @ olivegoa @theprojectcafegoa @mojigao @ design_quest thank you for being our perfect party partners we love you guys . Mum I’m just blessed that you are ours we love you so much”.

Mika Singh slapped by girlfriend after she caught him cheating Mika Singh is on a bride hunt with Swayamvar – Mika Di Vohti. In a recent episode, the singer spoke about his past relationships with his prospective partners. He informed he’s had three serious affairs, and while the first one was in school, the last one taught him a lot about love. However, he added that she was quite ‘khatarnak‘ and even slapped him once.

Mika shared that he had just become popular and had found his ‘swag’.

There would be many female fans reaching out to him, and he met this woman, who was a fan. “She was very beautiful and I was smitten. So much that I promised her house, even thought of kids’ names – Sunny, Bunny.

I was crazy about her,” he added in Hindi.

The “Sawan mein lag gayi aag” actor further said that he was a flirt back then and would speak to a few other girls on phone. Wanting to save himself from getting caught, he saved these girls’ numbers as ‘Rakesh’ and ‘Rajesh’.

The singer further narrated the incident saying that once his girlfriend came over, and ‘Rakesh’ started calling continuously.

“She sternly asked me to take the call, and as soon as I picked it up, she gave me a tight

slap. For the first time I got slapped and I then understood what a girlfriend really means.

She also threatened me that this is just the beginning. I became very loyal after that and would be scared of her. I was scared that if she can slap me in private she can also do it publicly.” He also added that she would ask him for every detail of his travel and stay whenever he would go out of the city. “She would make me call from the hotel number and even ask me to scream I love you. It was her way to be assured that no girl was hovering around me. When the girls on the show defended him saying the girl’s action was wrong and she was ‘over possessive’, Mika Singh said that he gave her a reason to do that.

“I made a mistake and that made her react that way. I believe that a man is always at fault.

And because of these incidents, I realised the importance of love. I had a girl who took so much effort for me and here I was busy with ‘Rakesh’ and ‘Rajesh’. Post that we really had a good time as lovers,” he shared. The pop singer however added that they soon broke up as the girl’s parents wanted her to get married to someone else. “But main gaya unke shaadi pe.

Apne hi gaanon pe kaafi naacha (I went to her wedding and even danced to my own songs).”

Pair of Lamborghinis impounded for speeding on Sea to Sky Highway Two Lamborghinis were caught driving speeds up to 156 km/hr on Highway 99, West Vancouver police said.

The two vehicles were stopped by police on June 24 and issued excessive speed tickets. Both vehicles were impounded for seven days.

“When drivers choose to speed, it puts everyone at risk,” said Const.

Nicole Braithwaite, a West Vancouver police officer.

“As we continue to see nicer weather, we see an increase in vehicles as well as motorcycles driving at high rates of speed. Our officers will be stepping up enforcement during these next couple of months in an effort to help change this dangerous behaviour.”

The two sports cars and their drivers were speeding at nearly twice the legal speed limit.

Police are urging drivers to slow down as officials say more than 26 people are killed every year in the Lower Mainland from speed-related crashes.

Vancouver police looking for baby’s family after random attack

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Vancouver police are looking for the victim of an apparently random attack on June 27.

The victim was a baby in a stroller.

Witnesses said the baby and a few adults were walking in the area of Davie Street and Bidwell Street around 4:30 p.m. when a man threw a glass bottle at the baby.

According to police, the person who called 911 stated the bottle didn’t hit the baby but the contents were splashed on both the baby and the adults who were with him.

“This attack appears to be completely

unprovoked, and must have been terrifying for everyone involved,” Const. Tania Visintin said in a release. “Based on the description given to police by the witness, a suspect was arrested nearby.”

A 31-year-old man from Vancouver was arrested but police are looking for the family to come forward.

“The family left before police arrived, so they were never identified,” Visintin added.

“We are asking them to call police so we can advance the investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 604-717-4022

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Rajinder Kumar One of the greatest actors of Indian cinema Rajendra Kumar Tuli was born in Punjabi Khatri family in Sialkot (now in Punjab, Pakistan). His grandfather was a successful military contractor and his father had a textile business in Karachi. During the partition in 1947, the family had to leave all the land and property behind and move to India. When they came to Bombay, Kumar decided to try his luck in the Hindi film industry.

He never wanted to be a hero and took up work with director H. S. Rawail as an assistant. For nearly five years, he worked with Rawail as an assistant in films like Patanga, Sagai, Pocketmaar.

During this time, he made his film debut with a cameo in the 1949 film Patanga, followed by a small role in Kidar Sharma’s 1950 film Jogan, opposite Dilip Kumar and Nargis.

It was producer Devendra Goel who noticed Kumar in Jogan and gave him a break in Vachan in 1955. Kumar was paid only fifteen hundred rupees for the film; however, the film was a hit and was Kumar’s first silver jubilee film and he was given a title – ‘A star is Born’. He got further success with his supporting role in Mehboob Khan’s blockbuster epic film Mother India in 1957 in which he played Nargis’s character’s son.

His first major success as a romantic leading man was in Amit Saxena’s musical Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959), co-starring Ameeta.

The 1960s saw Kumar rise to stardom.

There were times when he had six or seven films which had run for more than 25 weeks (known in India as a “silver jubilee film”), all running at the cinema at the same time, which rendered him the nickname “Jubilee Kumar”. He starred in many box office hits

including Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Gharana (1961), Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Mere Mehboob (1963), Sangam (1964), Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), Arzoo (1965), Suraj (1966), Jhuk Gaya Aasmaan (1968), Talash (1969) and Ganwaar (1970). He received the Filmfare Nomination for Best Actor for Dil Ek Mandir (1963), Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964), Arzoo (1965), and as Best Supporting Actor for Sangam (1964). He also starred in K. Asif ’s incomplete film Sasta Khoon Mehanga Paani co- starring Saira Banu. His brother Naresh Kumar directed him in films like Gora Aur Kala (1972) and Do Jasoos (1975).

Rajinder Kumar acted in film Mother India (1957) with Sunil Dutt and Nargis where Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar played sons of Nargis. He had a special relationship with Dutt and used to actively participate in campaigning for him, whenever the latter used to contest for elections. Dutt quoted as having said that “Even though Rajendra Kumar did not win any award throughout his career, he was one of the most genuine human beings I have ever encountered. When I was struggling with the troubles related to the arrest of my son Sanjay Dutt and my house was repeatedly being searched by means of numerous police raids, Rajendra Kumar was the one who came to my rescue by staying at my house and ensuring that raids were conducted using due procedures, false evidences were not planted in the house and valuables were not stolen.” Kumar was best friends with Raj Kapoor, so much so that his son Kumar Gaurav was engaged to the latter’s daughter, Reema. However, their friendship fell apart after their children broke

Happy Canada Day

Ranveer Singh posted his new picture Ranveer Singh and Deepika’s love story is the stuff dreams are made of. The two, who began as co-stars, have become one of the most celebrated couples in the country today, enthralling the audience with their acting prowess and charisma.

And thanks to social media, their love story is for all to see. The latest on the list of their loved up posts is a picture that Ranveer has shared of himself. How is this romantic, you ask? Wait till you read the caption.

Sharing a black and white image of himself, the actor said, “Waiting for my wife to

comment…” tagging Deepika Padukone.

And, the comment came soon enough.

Deepika Padukone had the sweetest demand in response.

In the comments section, Deepika said, “Come to me soonest,” with a heart emoji. Ranveer Singh replied to the comment with a smiling face with heart emojis.

Deepika Padukone was not the only one who showered love on Ranveer Singh. Ranveer’s BFF Arjun Kapoor too replied to the post saying, “Clean & lean.” Ranveer Singh’s post waiting for his wife Deepika’s comment.

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

Evacuation alert issued for Vancouver’s Barnston Island as floodwaters rise

An evacuation alert has been issued for Barnston Island, located in Electoral Area A, by Metro Vancouver, due to rapidly rising floodwaters from the Fraser River.

Barston Island residents, while not required to leave at this time, are being encouraged by officials to prepare for a potential evacuation order that may come over the long weekend.

“Metro Vancouver staff are actively monitoring Fraser River levels, patrolling dikes, deploying sandbags, and have established a command post on site to coordinate evacuation activities,” Metro

Vancouver staff said.

“A state of local emergency has been declared to restrict access to the island and to support a potential evacuation.”

The BC River Forecast Centre, Environment Canada and Emergency Management BC predict increasing river flows over the next several days, due to snow melt and precipitation.

Access to Barnston Island is now restricted to residents, businesses and those with a family connection. Barnston Island Regional Park is also closed.

Maharashtra Twists: Eknath Shinde is CM, Fadnavis Now Ready to be Part of New Govt After BJP Appeal In a shocking twist to the week-long Maharashtra political tussle, Shiv Sena strongman Eknath Shinde was announced as the new chief minister by Devendra Fadnavis, who was earlier speculated to occupy the top post. Fadnavis, who was Uddhav’s predecessor, was believed to be the new Maharashtra chief minister with

Shinde as his deputy. But in a shocker, the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra assembly announced that he won’t be a part of the government, but would extend his full support. “I will stay out of power,” Fadnavis said.

But in another turn of events, BJP national president JP Nadda said Fadnavis has been directed by the BJP leadership to be the deputy CM. “BJP central leadership has decided that Devendra ji should be part of the government and we have requested him personally also and has been directed to be deputy CM,” Nadda said.

In a tweet, Nadda then confirmed that Fadnavis has agreed to be a part of the new Maharashtra government.

Skyrocketing house prices force Okanagan family to leave B.C. for Alberta Laura Wilson has enjoyed living in the Okanagan for the past four years.

“We love it here,” she told Global News.

“Especially the weather and the ability to just get out and just walk to a hiking trail or the parks or the lake.”

But Wilson said her family, including her husband and two children, are being forced to move out of the province.

“It’s sad, actually, that people have to uproot their children and their whole lives and leave a community,” she said. “We’re giving it up for financial stability,” she said.

“We were given notice that our landlord would like their house back.

“And so, after searching and searching for something affordable that our family could live in comfortably, we realized that that wasn’t going to happen.”

The family is moving to Edmonton, where they’ve purchased a townhouse at a fraction of what it would cost in the Central Okanagan.

“We paid $172,000 which is cheap,” Wilson said. “In the Okanagan, you can’t even buy a one-bedroom condo in Kelowna for that price.”

A senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Alex Hemingway, said this family’s story is not unique.

“Everyone has seen around us housing prices skyrocket and that comes with consequences,” he said.

Those consequences aren’t only for people relocating for financial reasons, but also for the communities they leave behind.

“It means that our communities are becoming more exclusionary based on income and wealth, and that’s not the way to organize the city,” Hemingway said.

“We’re being deprived of the talents of those people in our cities. And, of course, they’re being deprived of the opportunity to choose to where to live.”

According to the Association of Interior Realtors, the benchmark price for a singlefamily home in Kelowna is around $1.13 million.

The median price for a two-bedroom rental is $2,300 a month, according to a Canadian Rent Report by Zumper, a housing rental company.

“Kelowna and the Okanagan have been one of the places over the past couple of years where prices have gotten out of control,” Hemingway said.

Hemingway added that a housing supply shortage is to blame as is a lack of government investment in affordable housing.

“We have not had enough direct public investment in dedicated affordable housing for many, many years, ” Hemingway said.

“We have actually seen that investment increase over the past few years, but we’re dealing with a backlog of need and underinvestment that goes back decades.”

Real Estate in Canada: Is it on the Chopping Block Next?

The Canadian real estate market started seeing the impact of the BoC’s interest rate hike a few months back. It was a positive consequence of measures taken to control the rampaging inflation. There was less activity in the market, and price growth, which was steadily pushing real estate far away from affordable levels, slowed down for the first time in years.

Now, this “deacceleration” is picking up pace. The leader of the Canadian banking sector, Royal Bank of Canada, has marked the worst-case scenario as a 30% drop in the real estate prices in Canada.

And even though it’s the worst-case scenario, and the actual price drop might be significantly lower, it’s enough to shake the real estate investors to their core, especially the ones that bought recently and were depending upon the real estate market’s rapid rise for their asset’s return potential.

A 30% drop may even turn some potential profits into losses and force some homeowners/investors to take their homes off the market.

This fear, however, is not reflected in the real estate sector on the TSX. The index has actually started recovering after a modest slump that started in March 2022. And even if the real estate in Canada is on the chopping block, you can still earn a decent income by tying your capital to the right REIT.

Real Estate

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Bank regulator beefs up rules for some types of home loans Canada’s top banking regulator is changing the rules that cover certain types of home loans to make sure that lenders and borrowers are able to stay on top of their obligations at a time when the country’s housing market is looking vulnerable.

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OFSI) is implementing new guidelines for certain types of real estate loans, including shared equity mortgages, reverse mortgages and conventional mortgages that are paired with revolving credit lines.

The biggest change targets so-called combined loans, which are conventional mortgage loans paired with revolving lines

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is taking its plan to establish a new campus in downtown Kelowna to all new heights. In fact, its mixed-use tower would be the new tallest building in Kelowna — even exceeding the future Water Street by the Park — and effectively, the tallest tower in BC outside of the Lower Mainland.

The university’s newly submitted revised application to the City of Kelowna for 550 Doyle Avenue calls for a 509-ft-tall (155 m) tower with 45 storeys. This is up from the original proposal for a 410-ft-tall (125 m) tower with 35 storeys. The key difference with the revised concept is student housing, with all of the added height being the result of expanding the student residence — from the original proposal of 352 units

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This Ontario city has the most overvalued real estate market in Canada Good luck buying a home anywhere in Ontario right now, as meteoric price gains and a historic inflation spike push housing markets in the province further out of reach.

And as bad as things are in the Greater Toronto Area in 2022, rampant speculation is not limited to urban centres. According to one housing market assessment, Peterborough is now the single most overvalued housing market in the entire country.

Moody’s Analytics has ranked Peterborough, Ontario, at the top of the list for most overvalued housing markets in the company’s fourth-quarter assessment of housing price valuations in Canada.

Peterborough’s 107.8 per cent valuation comes after years of substantial price growth for the municipality northeast of Toronto.

Though with an average annual household income of about $70,000 and the average May 2022 selling price climbing nearly 19.8 per cent to $836,843, the city’s market is firmly on the unattainable side of the scale.

According to RE/MAX Canada’s analysis of the valuation, recent activity “has first-time homebuyers priced out of the market, especially local buyers,” adding that “too many prospective homebuyers are still stuck waiting to achieve the dream of home ownership.”

Experts attribute Peterborough’s valuation to factors like rampant investor speculation, blind bidding, and low interest rates.

Despite all the doom and gloom, home sales took a nosedive in the region in May, sales falling at an annualized rate of 34.3 per cent with a year-overyear decline of 18 per cent and a 17.7

UBC supersizes its new tower for downtown Kelowna campus

total of about 91,500 sq ft of space. This includes classrooms of varying sizes, specialized laboratories, and dozens of other rooms for breakout sessions, meetings, and offices. Wedged between the academic campus and the student residence, two entire levels — ninth and 10th — will be temporarily left unused, reserved for a future academic expansion of about 20,000 sq ft.

These academic spaces are intended to be used by the School of Nursing, School of Health and Exercise Science, School of Social Work, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, UBC Vice President of Research, and the Wine Research Centre.

of credit known as HELOCs that home owners can dip into as they see fit, without being obligated to pay that portion back on any sort of schedule.

The new regulations will kick in once a readvanceable loan exceeds 65 per cent of the underlying home’s value. Currently, an owner can technically borrow up to 80 per cent on such a loan, but the new rules will functionally ratchet that ceiling down to 65 per cent by forcing the borrower to start paying back some of the principal if they go above that line.

Canadians weighed down by lines of credit they don’t understand

to 503 units in the latest design.

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Why Sri Lanka’s economy collapsed and what’s next?

Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says the island nation’s debt-laden economy has “collapsed” as it runs out of money to pay for food and fuel. Short of cash to pay for imports of such necessities and already defaulting on its debt, it is seeking help from neighboring India and China and from the International Monetary Fund.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who took office in May, was emphasizing the monumental task he faces in

turning around an economy he said is heading for “rock bottom.”

Sri Lankans are skipping meals as they endure shortages, lining up for hours to try to buy scarce fuel. It’s a harsh reality for a country whose economy had been growing quickly, with a growing and comfortable middle class, until the latest crisis deepened. The government owes $51 billion and is unable to make interest payments on its loans, let alone put a dent in the amount borrowed. Tourism,

an important engine of economic growth, has sputtered because of the pandemic and concerns about safety after terror attacks in 2019. And its currency has collapsed by 80 percent, making imports more expensive and worsening inflation that is already out of control, with food costs rising 57%, according to official data.

The result is a country hurtling towards bankruptcy, with hardly any money to import gasoline, milk, cooking gas and toilet paper.

Political corruption is also a problem; not only did it play a role in the country squandering its wealth, but it also complicates any financial rescue for Sri Lanka.

Anit Mukherjee, a policy fellow and economist at the Center for Global Development in Washington, said any assistance from the IMF or World Bank should come with strict conditions to make sure the aid isn’t mismanaged.

Still, Mukherjee noted that Sri Lanka sits

The great paradox of Indian democracy: citizen uprisings but no opposition If Narendra Modi’s first term in office abounded with brazen institutional subversion, his second has been beleaguered by spirited citizenly uprisings. In the weeks leading to the coronavirus pandemic, lest we forget, the prime minister was besieged by a wave of challenges. Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, erupting months after the BJP’s triumphant re-

election in 2019, had spread to every major city by early 2020. Modi, having grown accustomed to spectacles of submission by the public, was rattled by this show of defiance. His government invoked a colonial-era law to ban gatherings of more than four people, intermittently suspended the internet, and mobilised its base by amplifying sectarian messaging. As police

truncheons bloodied young protestors in Delhi, Modi lashed out at rootless cosmopolitans and Muslim troublemakers, supposedly identifiable by their clothing.

The script did not yield the intended result. Across the country, Indians of all faiths joined to proclaim their allegiance to secularism—the foundational basis of the republic. Their song was the national

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In tight rental market, here’s how to prepare for potential increase at renewal The rate advantage city renters saw during the pandemic is fading, making it important for those without rent controls to plan ahead for potentially substantial increases.

List prices for new rentals were up about 20 per cent in May for cities like Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary compared with a year earlier, data from Rentals.ca showed.

The price hike was attributed to students and remote workers returning to urban centres, immigration numbers rising, and house hunters turning to rentals while waiting out market uncertainty.

The combined pressures mean that existing tenants in provinces without, or with limits on, rent controls can expect jumps at renewal, and could benefit from negotiations with a landlord to limit that increase.

There is no limit to how much a landlord can increase rent prices in Alberta and Saskatchewan. A growing number of people in Ontario are also subject to a limitless increase as rent controls don’t apply to units first occupied after Nov. 15, 2018.

Nova Scotia and New Brunswick had no limits on rent increases going into the pandemic, but a spike in migration and property buying led to soaring rental rate increases, prompting the provinces to bring in legislation for this year.

Newfoundland and Labrador as well as the territories also have no limits on how much rent can increase, while other provinces have various systems that limit or cap rate increases for existing tenants.

For those subject to unrestricted increases, experts say there are some approaches worth trying to limit the price hike, but they warn

that those renting in hot markets shouldn’t bank on discounts. “ven if you have an awesome tenant that you want to encourage to stay, we’re suggesting our renewal rates based on the market rent,” said Kerry Hunter, owner of Property Solutions Real Estate Group Inc. in Calgary. However, Hunter, whose company works both in real estate sales and property management, said that many landlords are open to some discount if asked.

“A tenant can appeal to the landlord, perhaps accepting an increase but asking for some acknowledgement for being a great tenant that pays consistently on time, that always takes care of protecting the property.

And most of our owners are willing to do that.”

Tenants can also ask about what the best term would be, and possibly get a better rate by signing on to a longer-term lease, said Hunter. She said however that with rising costs there is a smaller window for reduced prices, and that most of her clients are increasing prices between five to 10 per cent for existing tenants, and even more for new ones. Cost increases, including rising interest rates, is also narrowing options for landlords in Toronto, said Christan Bosley, president of Bosley Real Estate, but there’s still the opportunity to ask.

“If your landlord is an investor, they are probably much more likely to try and maintain that market value over time.

But they will usually be more lenient to somebody who is qualified, consistently pays on time, takes care of the property, all that kind of stuff.”

Saturday, July 2, 2022

Rupee in free fall: Currency set to weaken further on capital flight, strong dollar The rupee is likely to drift to fresh lows against the greenback in coming sessions as the dollar strengthens globally and on persistent capital outflows from Indian equity and debt markets, forex market experts and economists told Moneycontrol on Thursday, June 30.

Even though the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to step in regularly to limit the rupee’s volatility, a fall to 80 may be inevitable, said experts.

“The rupee’s move lower is in line with the underlying trend and what the fundamentals have been dictating recently. The dollar is still stronger during the current uncertain period on various counts like central bank policies, inflation, growth and geopolitics and that will not reverse in haste,” said Jayaram Krishnamurthy, co-founder and chief operating officer at Almus Risk Consulting.

As per the technical analysis, the downtrend in the rupee is not over yet, Krishnamurthy said, adding that the currency could fall to 80.50 levels against the dollar in the medium term.

The rupee depreciated 1.7 percent in June, taking its year-to-date decline to over 6 percent against the dollar. The currency closed at a record low of 78.9662 on June 29, according to Bloomberg data A dislocation in forward rates, persistently high commodity prices amid the RussiaUkraine war and an aggressive rate hike cycle by the US Federal Reserve has strengthened the dollar globally and put emerging market currencies, including the rupee, under pressure. In its latest meeting, the Fed hiked interest rates by 75 basis points to tame inflation. The Fed is also scaling back pandemic-era liquidity surplus.

Besides, persistent foreign outflows from India’s equity and debt markets have weighed on the rupee. According to data from National Securities Depository Ltd, foreign investors have pulled out $23.4 billion from equities and $1.9 billion from debt so far in 2022.

“With no visibility of an early resolution of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, bids for the greenback could continue to remain supportive,” said Vivek Kumar, an economist at QuantEco Research.

“More importantly, the aggressive pivot displayed by the Federal Reserve would ensure that it remains the frontrunner among developed market central banks in addressing elevated and persistent inflation in the US amidst one of the strongest postpandemic economic recoveries,” Kumar added.

Kumar expects the rupee to touch 81 against the dollar before the end of FY23.

The RBI’s strong forex reserves and India’s attractive long-term economic potential would buffer any precipitous decline in the value of the currency, he added.

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Hindu tailor beheaded by Muslim men for supporting Nupur Sharma over blasphemous statement Two Muslim men in India’s Udaipur have murdered a Hindu over his post supporting former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s blasphemous comments.

According to reports, the incident took place near the Bhoot Mahal on Maldas Street in Udaipur.

The two men entered the tailor’s shop as customers and grabbed to behead him with a knife.

Meanwhile, BJP politician Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga posted a video, in which it can be seen that one man entered the victim’s shop as a customer while the other was possibly shooting the video. When the tailor

was taking the man’s body measurements, he grabbed his neck and attacked him from the back. The victim can be heard crying and screaming while he was beheaded with a raw knife by the men. The tailor’s body covered in plastic was seen lying outside his shop with blood overflowing on the streets.

In another video, the assailants, who identified themselves as Mohammad Riyaz and Ghouse Mohammed, can be seen claiming responsibility for their actions and threatening Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Following the murder, the traders in the area shut their shops and demanded that the accused be arrested. There were also protests in some areas.

PM’s one-day visit to UAE put together to build trust after Nupur Sharma controversy Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s oneday visit on June 28 to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is as much about reiterating India’s economic and geopolitical commitment to the emirates it is about sending a message of reconciliation after the massive controversy over comments on Prophet Muhammad made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma, sources in the know say.

The PM’s visit on his way back from the G7 summit in Germany has been put together to clearly send a message that India remains a close ally of nations in the region and is unwilling to let domestic politics come in the way of bilateral relations, senior sources said.

“It is about establishing trust not only with the governments in the region but also communicating to the people that India remains a key partner nation in the region,” one of them said.

Officially, the PM will be paying his personal condolences on the passing away of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Sheikh Khalifa passed away on 13 May and India had declared a day of national mourning. But sources said the visit will also serve to signal India’s commitment to the region in the wake of a damaging controversy.

In the aftermath of the comments made

by Sharma, every nation in the region had criticised the move.

Asia’s richest man raises $775 Million to build India’s largest copper refinery Adani Enterprises—controlled by Gautam Adani and his family—is pushing ahead with plans to build India’s largest copper refinery as the world’s second most populous nation seeks to reduce its reliance on metal imports.

The conglomerate—which also has interests in airports, edible oils, ports, renewable energy and toll roads—said in a regulatory filing on Sunday that its unit Kutch Copper has raised 60.7 billion rupees ($775 million) in loans from a syndicate of banks led by the State Bank of India.

Proceeds will be used to accelerate the

construction of a greenfield copper refining plant in Gujarat, Adani’s home state in western India.

“Kutch Copper aims to create the capacity for production of refined copper, which plays a vital role in strengthening the nation’s shift towards electric vehicles and renewables,” Vinay Prakash, director of Adani Enterprises said in a statement.

“The project has requisite technology tied up and construction works at the site are progressing well and is scheduled to commence production during the first half of 2024.”

Canada extends COVID-19 border measures until Sept. 30 The federal government will extend current COVID-19 public health measures for travellers entering Canada, including the use of the ArriveCan app, until at least Sept. 30.

In a release Wednesday, the Public Health Agency of Canada also said it will continue the pause of mandatory random testing for fully vaccinated travellers at all airports until mid-July. It first announced the pause on June 11 and said in the release that it’s allowing airports to focus on streamlining their operations.

The public health agency said it’s moving forward with plans to relocate COVID-19

testing for air travellers outside of airports to select test provider stores, pharmacies or by virtual appointment.

The release added that travellers who are not fully vaccinated and don’t have a valid exemption must continue to test on Day 1 and Day 8 of their 14-day quarantine.

“As we move into the next phase of our COVID-19 response, it is important to remember that the pandemic is not over. We must continue to do all that we can to keep ourselves and others safe from the virus,” said Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos in a statement.

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Doug Ford warns Ottawa ‘freedom convoy’ protesters: ‘No shenanigans this weekend’

Behave yourselves this time, protesters.

That’s the message to Ottawa-bound demonstrators from Premier Doug Ford, who backed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s use of emergency powers to end the illegal blockade around Parliament Hill last winter.

Ford said it’s “disappointing” and “not fair” that the so-called “freedom convoy” is returning on Canada Day. “I’m all for peaceful protest and you can demonstrate, but … no shenanigans this weekend,” the premier warned Thursday.

“Just be peaceful and let people of Ottawa enjoy their weekend. We honestly should not even be going through this. It’s disappointing, but it is what it is,” he said.

“Look at all these police officers that typically may have vacation days to spend with their families. Now they’re cancelling all their vacation and they’re going to Ottawa (to work). You know, it’s just not fair.”

The premier urged truckers motoring toward the nation’s capital to “be considerate” unlike the three-week protest that ended in February after the federal government gave police temporary powers under the neverbefore-used Emergencies Act. More than 100 people were arrested after riot police cleared the demonstration that forced downtown Ottawa residents to endure days of horn-honking and rabble-rousing.

Ford said he would be happy to “participate” in the ongoing Emergencies Act post-mortem committee and praised the Ontario Provincial Police for its role in ending the unlawful occupation of the capital “I just want to thank the OPP for the great job they did … and I want to thank all the police agencies right across Ontario and the federal government, the RCMP, for the incredible job they did,” he said, hailing police efforts at the related blockade of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor.

“What we can’t ever have happen again is when they cut off the border and we’re losing $700 million a day in trade (between Canada

and the U.S.). That will never happen again — we’ve given the police the tools to make sure we keep our borders open.”

The recently re-elected premier also confirmed what the Star reported Wednesday night: the legislature would resume on Aug. 8.

That’s the day a new speaker will be elected — so far Tory MPPs Ted Arnott (WellingtonHalton Hills) and Nina Tangri (MississaugaStreetsville) have announced they are running.

Arnott has been speaker since 2018 and Tangri is hoping to make history as the first woman to serve as the legislature’s referee.

One day after MPPs elect a new speaker, the government will table a throne speech, to be read by Lt.-Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, outlining the Tories’ agenda for the next few years.

“We’ll be sitting approximately for five weeks,” Ford told reporters in Brampton.

“We’re going to get things moving forward.

We will pass the budget,” he said, referring to the record $198.6-billion spending plan tabled by Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy on April 28, which was the Tories’ re-election platform.

Ford signalled that teachers, whose salary hikes have been capped at one per cent a year by Bill 124, would get a raise in their upcoming contracts now being negotiated.

“What I can tell you is their increase is going to be more than one per cent. It’s not going to be through the roof, but it’s going to be very fair to everyone,” the premier said.

“We fully understand inflation, we fully understand the cost of living is going up,” he said, referring to an inflation rate that was 7.7 per cent this month.

“But my message to the teachers union is one thing: those kids have to be back in school in September and they have to be back in school with extracurricular activities. I understand costs are going up. But we cannot have the kids out of school, no matter what.”

Man killed in ‘targeted’ shooting in Port Coquitlam, police say One man is dead after a shooting in Port Coquitlam early Thursday, RCMP say.

Coquitlam RCMP said officers found the body after the shooting was reported around 1 a.m. in the 2700 block of Davies Avenue.

Police tape off one home and stationed

officers around the property.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is handling the case, and said the shooting appears to have been targeted.

Coquitlam RCMP said anyone with CCTV footage or dashcam footage can contact them.

Eknath Shinde Becomes Maharashtra CM: 5 Reasons Why BJP Picked Him Over Fadnavis Eknath Sambhaji Shinde – leader of the Shiv Sena rebellion – is now the chief minister of Maharashtra. The move comes as a surprise, as it was expected that the BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis would return as CM, with his party having more seats than the Sena.

To state the obvious, this may have entirely been the BJP’s call, though the party may claim that it had nothing to do with the rebellion of Shinde and the other MLAs. “I will not be a part of the cabinet, but I will take responsibility for the smooth functioning of the alliance and the government. I will provide full support and co-operation to the government,” Devendra Fadnavis had said.

However, later, the BJP top brass is said to have impressed upon Fadnavis to become deputy chief minister.

So, why did the BJP choose to elevate Eknath Shinde and not insist on having its own CM? The Maharashtra Assembly deputy speaker suspended 16 MLAs under the advise of the Shiv Sena leadership. The status of these MLAs is still subjudice, with the Supreme Court hearing the matter.

Even if the suspension would have been revoked, the status of the entire set of rebels would still be uncertain. The anti-defection law makes it difficult for a group of rebel MLAs from a party to form an independent block, even if they account for more than two-thirds of the total number of MLAs of the party.

Therefore, Shinde’s camp would have been left with only two options – to merge with

the BJP or a smaller party aligned to the NDA or legally stake claim to being the ‘real Shiv Sena’.

The first option would have meant conceding Uddhav Thackeray’s contention that his faction represents the real Shiv Sena.

The second option would have meant a

long and complicated legal tussle, which would have been difficult for the rebels to sustain.

Since the beginning of Shinde’s rebellion, The Quint has been reporting that there are two groups even within the rebel MLA camp. This became even more clear as the group became bigger.

As more MLAs joined, the group that was open to an outright rebellion against Uddhav Thackeray and merging with the BJP began to get more marginalised. And the priority became to somehow preserve their identity as Shiv Sainiks.

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Fijian Stabbed In Christchurch A Loving, Cheerful Woman The late Laisa Maraia Waka has been described as a quiet yet cheerful, compassionate and loving woman.

Ms Waka died after being stabbed by a man, not known to her, just metres from her home in Sockburn, Christchurch, New Zealand, last Saturday.

New Zealand Herald reported that Ms Waka’s 11-year-old son watched as emergency services tried to save a woman, not then knowing it was his mum after she was stabbed outside their home on Saturday.

The 52-year-old hailed from the garden islands of Fiji, Como, Qamea, Taveuni, and is married with four children.

She had four children, one of whom, Epeli Tunidau – the eldest – successfully completed

the Fiji Police Force Basic Recruits recently.

Ms Waka’s sister-in-law, Arieta Kaloucava, said she (deceased) was a woman who loved her children dearly and always wanted the best for them.

“But unfortunately, the plan of meeting her children was fallen short due to this unforeseen situation,” Ms Kaloucava said.

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